Scrapple
by UsagiRyu
Summary: Keith has a pet rat named Scrapple.
1. Chapter 1

Scrapple

By: UsagiRyu

 _Inspired by the book "Animals and the Afterlife" by Kim Sheridan_

/********/

The Kogane house was known in its tiny neighborhood for being the animal house. Not because it hosted wild parties, but because if a lost or injured animal needed a home, the Koganes would help the animal. Some stayed on as companions to the family. Others went off to other forever homes. One special animal, a rat named Scrapple, stayed in then eight year old Keith Kogane's room. You see, Scrapple was born there. Keith's parents rescued a pregnant female rat from the cold winter after she was abandoned by her cruel owners.

"Mama-san, Tou-chan," Keith asked respectfully. "May Winter stay in my room?" He asked. Since the female rat had been found in winter and was pure white, she had been named Winter.

"Of course, Keith-chan," Akane Kogane smiled at her son. "It will be a good learning experience for you."

Keith cuddled the rat and took her up into his room. There, he set up her large cage and bedding for her. And put in plenty of food and fresh water. Winter chattered her thanks to young Keith and settled into her new home. Keith continued to stroke her soft white fur.

Two days later, Winter gave birth to three babies, an unusually small litter for a rat. Two girls and a boy. The boy, whose skin was a dappled brown even before his fur grew in, was named Scrapple and the girls, who were white like their mother, were named Snowflake and Blizzard.

From the moment Scrapple was born, he bonded to Keith. Once Scrapple was old enough to leave his mother's side and his fur grew in, he moved from the cage to Keith's bed to sleep during the nights and had free run of Keith's room during the day. When Keith came home from school, Scrapple would sit on Keith's shoulder while he did his home work before the two could play in the yard under his parents' watchful eyes. Blizzard, Snowflake and Winter went to a friend of the Kogane family who loved rats and had just lost her beloved rat companion to old age.

This quiet life seemed to go on forever until the day now twelve year old Keith's parents ran to the store for bananas and a few other things that Keith and Scrapple both loved to eat together. Keith waited at home, playing fetch with Scrapple when the police came to the door.

"Yes?" Keith opened the door to find two police officers and a social worker.

"Keith Kogane?" The first officer, his name tag said his name was Miller, asked.

"That's me. And this is Scrapple, my best friend," Keith answered.

"Keith, may we come in?" Miller asked.

"Yes, please take off your shoes," Keith indicated the shoes that the officers and social worker wore.

The adults took off their shoes and put them on a rack just inside the door and walked into the house. They all sat down and Keith and Scrapple looked at them. "Keith, I'm very sorry, but your parents were killed in a car crash an hour ago."

Keith paled and shook his head. "No! They just went to the organic market to get some food!" He cried.

The social worker put her arms around Keith. "Keith, is there anyone I can call for you?"

"My aunt and uncle. Akiko and Meiji Kogane. My father's brother and his wife."

"Give me their number and I'll call them and arrange for them to take custody of you," The social worker, Jade Greene, said.

"What about the animals?" Keith asked. "We have animal companions that can't fend for themselves."

Officer Miller, petting a shaggy white terrier, named Carpet, said "Well, if your aunt and uncle can't take all the animals, I'll take this guy. He's great! My kids would love him!"

"His best friend is a cat, can you take him too? His name is Boo-boo Bear. Bear for short," Keith wiped his eyes.

"Sure," Officer Miller said.

Tears fell down Keith's face. Scrapple groomed Keith's hair and chattered in his ear, as if telling him that things would be OK in time. Ms. Green and the two officers looked on in amazement. Ms. Green pulled out her com link and called Keith's aunt and uncle. Meiji and Akiko agreed to take Keith in and most of the animals. Carpet and Bear went to live out the rest of their lives with Officer Miller and his family.

/****/

After the funeral, Keith and Scrapple moved the last of their things into their new room in Meiji and Akiko's house. "Keith-chan, do you need anything?" Akiko asked her nephew.

"No, thank you," Keith said quietly. As usual, Scrapple sat on his shoulder. "May I go for a walk?" Keith asked suddenly.

"Of course, kiddo, just be home in time for dinner."

"Arigatoo," Keith bowed to his aunt and left. Keith and Scrapple strolled through the new neighborhood. Three houses down, they found a skinny, auburn haired boy the same age as Keith, sitting on the top step, smoking a cigarette. "Hi," Keith said shyly.

"Hey," The boy said. "I'm Lance McClain. Do you know you have a rat on your shoulder?"

"I'm Keith Kogane, and yes I do. This is my best friend, Scrapple." Keith held out his hand and Scrapple scampered down Keith's arm to his hand to better see Lance through the haze of his cigarette smoke.

"Cool. Want a smoke?" Lance offered.

"No, thank you," Keith said.

"You just move in here?" Lance asked.

"Yeah, I live with my aunt and uncle," Keith answered.

"What, your parents kick you out too?" Lance asked.

"No, they died."

Lance winced. "I'm sorry," He blushed.

"That's OK, there's no way you could have known. So who do you live with?"

"My grandma. She's pretty cool," Lance said. "Doesn't like me smoking though."

"Well, smoking does pollute the body," Keith said.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Do you like ice cream? Grandma makes the best stuff. It's chocolate chip."

"Sure, I love ice cream, so does Scrapple."

"Can I hold him?" Lance asked.

"Put your cigarette out first. I don't want him brushing up against the ember by mistake," Keith smiled at Lance.

"Okay," Lance put out the cigarette and held out his hand. Scrapple jumped into his hand and started chattering at him. "What's he doing?"

"He's chattering. His way of saying he likes you," Keith smiled.

"Lance, what are you doing out here?" A quivering voice asked. An elderly lady walked out onto the porch. "Oh, hello, you must be the new boy I heard about. Kevin right?"

"Keith, Ma'am," Keith stood up and bowed.

"So polite. What are you holding, Lance?"

"A rat, Granny. His name is Scrapple. He's Keith's pet."

Scrapple gave Lance a dirty look. Keith chuckled. "He's not a pet. He's my animal companion and best friend."

"Oh, well, come in. I just made some cookies. They're snickerdoodles. Have you ever had them, Keith?" Granny McClain asked.

"No, Ma'am, I haven't."

"Well, come in, then, your rat too. I'm sure I can find something for him to eat. What does he eat?"

"Organic vegetables and fruit mainly. Same as I eat. He has his own little dish at our table," Keith explained. "All of our animals do, well the cats and dog eat under the table, but they have their own dish and we make their food for them."

"Well, I'm sure I can find something he'll like to eat," Granny McClain smiled at the boys and the rat. Scrapple chattered at her. "May I pet him?" She asked.

"Of course," Keith said. Granny McClain gently scratched Scrapple's ears and petted the silky smooth rat.

"Thank you, Keith, I never thought I'd see the day that I'd pet a rat," She laughed and lead the boys inside for ice cream and cookies.

/****/

A year passed as it always does. Keith and Lance's friendship grew. But Scrapple remained Keith's first best friend. One day, Lance looked over at the rat napping on Keith's bed while the two boys did their homework and asked "How old is Scrapple?"

"I…I'm not sure," Keith said. "He was born in my room when I was eight and I'm thirteen now. I guess five years old."

"Wow that's old for a rat, isn't it?" Lance commented.

"Yeah, it is. They normally live for two to three years," Keith said.

"Man, then Scrapple's gotta be ancient for a rat!" Lance exclaimed.

Keith nodded. "I think so, but he's healthy."

"Yeah but still that's like being 100, man," Lance said, worried.

"I know," Keith frowned.

"I…" Lance looked down then up. "I want to be here when… it's time for Scrapple to go. I like him. He's my friend too."

"Thanks, man."

/****/

Another year passed and Keith turned fourteen. The day after his birthday, he noticed Scrapple looking haggard. "Scrapple, you okay, old man?" Keith petted the ancient rat's head. Scrapple looked up at Keith, his eyes sunken in and tired. "It is time, Scrapple?" Keith asked, his heart going up into his throat. "Aunt Akiko! Uncle Meiji!" Keith yelled.

"What is it, child?" Akiko asked, running into Keith's room with her husband.

"I think Scrapple's dying!" Keith exclaimed, tears running down his face. "I gotta call Lance!" Keith picked up his com with one hand and Scrapple with the other. "Lance!"

"Keith, what's up?" Lance asked.

"You gotta come over here!"

Lance heard the panic in Keith's voice. "OK, I'll be right over!" Lance hung up his com and ran down the street to Keith's house.

Lance ran into Keith's room and found Keith cradling Scrapple, whispering softly to the rat. Keith told Scrapple that it was OK to go into the light and that he'd be reborn into a new and healthy body. And that he was always welcome in Keith's life. Akiko leaned into Meiji while Lance sat next to Keith and put a hand on his shoulder. Scrapple let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, his heart still. Keith kissed the still body and hugged it close. Lance had tears pouring down his face.

"Good bye, Scrapple," Keith whispered. "I hope we meet again."

"Keith," Meiji spoke quietly. "Would you like Scrapple cremated? We can bury him under the flowers in our garden."

Keith sniffled. "OK, Uncle Meiji," Keith said.

"Let's go to the crematorium," Meiji said. "The one where your cousin Kennichi works. They'll do right by Scrapple."

"Thank you, Uncle Meiji."

After the trip to the crematorium, the Kogane family, Lance with them, returned home with a tiny urn filled with Scrapple's ashes. Keith buried Scrapple's ashes under the daisies he loved to sniff at so much and nap under when he was alive.

Inside the house, Akiko served up a light meal while they talked about their memories of Scrapple and what a good rat he had been. What a good friend he had been.

"Auntie, do you think Scrapple is in Nirvana? He was the best rat in the whole universe," Keith asked quietly.

"It's possible he is, Keith," Akiko said. "Would you like to light the sage stick, Keith?"

"Yes, Auntie." Keith lit the sage stick and burned it.

"What's the sage do?" Lance asked Meiji.

"It helps to banish our sadness and any negative energy," Meiji explained.

"Oh, OK," Lance nodded his head. He looked at the clock on the wall. "I'd better get going home." 

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Keith offered.

"Sure," Lance said.

The two boys walked to Lance's grandmother's house. Outside, Keith looked at his shoes. "Thank you, Lance, for being there," He said.

"You're welcome, Keith," Lance said.

Keith leaned forward, amazed at his own boldness and kissed Lance on the lips. Lance deepened the kiss. The two boys broke apart after a few minutes of lip lock. "That was…wow," Keith was dazed.

"Yeah, it was. Your first one?" Lance asked.

"Yeah. Yours?"

"First boy. I've kissed a few girls before, but it didn't feel anything like that."

Granny McClain came out of the house. "Are you all right, Keithie boy? Your uncle called me and told me about poor little Scrapple."

"I will be, Mrs. McClain," Keith smiled at her. "I will be."

 **THE END.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Scrapple Part Two**

 **By UsagiRyu**

 **Thank you Tina and Harm for helping me brainstorm out this idea** **And Thank you to Skylar for letting me use Commander Kerri Brown**

 **/*********/**

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" Keith asked Lance one night after they made love.

"What brought that up?" Lance looked up, surprised. Normally after sex, Keith was sleepy and would drift off contently.

"Just thinking, that's all," Keith said.

"About your parents?"

"And about Scrapple too. I miss him, Lance."

Lance looked down. "I know. I miss him too. He was the coolest rat. But even if he's reincarnated, you don't know that he'd be on Arus. There are thousands of planets he could be on."

"I know," Keith sighed. "Just wishful thinking. I haven't even seen him in my dreams for a few months now."

Lance rubbed Keith's shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Keith. If it's meant to be it will be, isn't that what you always say?"

"OK, this is scary, you using my own words against me. Or is my Buddhism rubbing off on you?" Keith laughed.

"Sorry, still atheist. But still I respect you and your Buddhism," Lance said honestly. Lance kissed Keith and said "Let's get some sleep. The camping trip is coming up tomorrow."

"It's more than a camping trip, Lance. It's a field survival test too."

"Sure, take all the fun out of it," Lance teased his lover.

"You're right though, we need to get some sleep," Keith yawned.

"Night, Keith."

"Night, Lance."

/****/

Early the next morning, the Voltron Force, with Sven and Romelle with them too, marched out of the Castle of the Lions and deep into the woods. They set up camp in a meadow filled with wild flowers. "Oh, it's beautiful," Princess Allura said to her girlfriend, Commander Kerri Brown.

"Yes, it is," Keith agreed. "And, it has clean water to drink and we can find food too."

"You should find plenty of food, Keith, being a vegetarian, look at all the berries around here," Lance teased.

Keith snorted. "Let's divvy up the chores. Who wants to gather fire wood?" Keith asked. No one raised their hands. "Come on, darkness comes early in these woods. We have to build a fire." Still no one volunteered. "Fine, I'll get the fire wood. Lance, you and Allura get any edible plants, berries and herbs you can find. Kerri, you and Sven will hunt. Pidge, you, Hunk and Romelle will clear a spot for the camp fire. And build a fire ring."

"Right, Skipper!" Pidge said.

"Everyone, make sure you have your communicators on at all times," Keith ordered. Everyone clicked on their communicators. "OK, let's get this camp set up."

/****/

As Allura and Lance gathered up berries, Lance came across some berries that looked like strawberries on Earth. And strawberries were Keith's favorite berry. Lance was about to pick them when Allura stopped him. "Lance, those berries will make you hallucinate badly before they kill you," She said.

"But they look like strawberries," Lance protested.

"And they're not. They're called glitter berries and are dangerous. Trust me," Allura shook her head.

"OK, I won't feed those to Keith then. What is safe to eat around here?"

"These. They're called bear grapes and are very tasty. And these," Allura showed Lance the safe things to eat. Soon they filled their baskets with mushrooms, herbs, berries and fruit.

/****/

Sven and Kerri held their rifles while they peered through the thicket. There, in the center of yet another meadow was a four point buck. The two shared a look and aimed their rifles at the buck. They fired at the same time, hitting the buck. Sven stood over the buck and said "Thank you," to the buck. Kerri bowed her head in respect.

/****/

Hunk carried stones from the creek while Pidge and Romelle cleared grasses from the center of the ring of tents. Then they set up a ring of stones.

/****/

Keith gathered up fallen, dried wood in his arms. He was focused on his task and not on the surroundings for once.

In the under brush, a sleek, young black panther watched as Keith picked up the wood. The panther growled softly and crouched down, waiting for the right moment to strike. As soon as Keith was facing the under brush, the panther darted out and pounced on Keith.

Keith let out a shout of fear. Then, the panther did something strange. It chattered at Keith and licked his nose. Keith looked deep into the panther's golden eyes and saw a soul he had not seen since he was fourteen. "Scrapple? Is that you?" He asked, dazed. The panther nodded his head. "Oh, Scrapple!" Keith hugged Scrapple. Scrapple licked Keith's face and chattered. "I missed you so much. You look amazing, Scrap," Keith said. Scrapple preened himself. He had a black, glossy fur coat and rich golden eyes. His paws were massive and his claws like daggers. "You came back to me," Keith said, dazed. Scrapple nodded his head again. "Let's go back to camp, Scrap." Keith picked up his wood. "I guess you'll have to walk. You won't fit on my shoulder, Scrapple."

Scrapple chattered.

Keith picked up his fallen wood and Scrapple walked beside him back to camp. Everyone stood up when they saw Keith come into the meadow with a panther by his side. "Um, Keith, do you know you have a panther beside you?" Lance asked.

"Yes, this is Scrapple," Keith smiled.

"Scrapple? I thought he was a rat," Allura said.

"He came back to me as a panther," Keith answered.

Scrapple ran up to Lance and knocked him down, then licked his nose. He chattered at Lance too. "Son of a gun," Lance said. "It is Scrap! What took you so long?"

"How do you know?" Kerri asked.

"Scrapple would always lick our nose and chatter at us. It's a rat's way of saying he's happy. Sort of like a cat purring," Lance explained.

"Ah, and he came back as a panther on Arus?" Kerri seemed stunned.

"I guess he did. He wanted to be with Keith again, right?"

"I think so," Keith said. Scrapple yawned and sniffed around the camp, accepting pets from everyone but Kerri. The two stared at each other first. Then he rubbed up against Kerri and made his distinct chattering noise again.

Kerri finally petted him. "What did he look like as a rat?"

"Sleek, long. Dappled brown fur. A very handsome rat, really," Keith said. "His mother was pure white. An albino." Keith pulled out pictures of Scrapple in his old body and of Winter, his mother.

"Very pretty," Kerri said.

"Thank you." Keith built the fire in the stone circle. "What's to eat?" He asked. Then he saw the young buck. "Poor buck," He frowned. "I know I told you to hunt, but still..."

Lance patted Keith on the shoulder. "I know, Keith. He was a beautiful animal."

"I already prepared him," Sven said. "So he's ready to be cooked."

"I'll sit down wind then," Keith said. Having never consumed meat, even when he was a child, the very smell of it made Keith sick. Keith picked a seat where he did not have to see the animal being cooked and prepared the berries and herbs into a salad. He drizzled some honey over it and shared it with his friends. Everyone else ate the buck along with the salad.

After they ate, the friends sat around the camp fire watching it glow in the darkness. Since it was autumn on Arus, the night came with a chill. "Remember that time your cousin took us camping, Lance," Keith said. "When we were twelve."

"Yeah. And I remember the ghost stories my cousin told us too," Lance shivered. Keith put an arm around Lance and Scrapple pressed his body against Keith's leg.

"Those stories were pretty scary," Keith admitted. "Do you remember those stories, Scrapple?" Keith asked. Scrapple meowed softly.

"I don't want to hear any ghost stories," Pidge huddled next to Hunk.

"Not even about the ... never mind," Allura said with an evil grin crossing her features in the dark.

"What?" Pidge asked. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm sure it's just an old wives' tale. But, my father told me about this guy… it's nothing, I'm sure."

Pidge squeaked and clung to Hunk.

"OK, Allura," Keith laughed. "Tell or don't. Stop scaring Pidge."

Allura snickered. "OK, I have a real ghost story. There was this little girl whose parents took her camping in the woods one nice fall weekend. While playing in the meadow, this very meadow mind you, she met up with another little girl. The second little girl said 'I'm so lonely. I would love to play with you.' So the two little girls played all day and into the night. Then, the first little girl's parents came to take her to their tent. She turned to her parents and started to introduce her parents to the second little girl. But the little girl had vanished. The first little girl went back to her tent with her parents but did not forget about her new friend. The next day, the first little girl went exploring, looking for her friend and did not find her. Instead, she found a tiny cabin in the woods. She knocked on the door and an old woman answered. The little girl asked if she knew of any other little girls who lived in the woods. The little described her friend and the old woman said 'That was my daughter. She was murdered twenty years ago yesterday in the meadow in which you played.'."

"Who was the first little girl?" Pidge asked, his voice quivering.

"The first little girl," Allura said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Was me."

Pidge let out a gasp. Hunk put an arm around him. Keith looked at Allura and saw that she was telling the truth. "Amazing," Keith said. "And you did not know she was a ghost?"

"No, she was just as real as you or I," Allura answered.

Pidge shivered. "Was the murderer caught?" He asked.

"Yes. He was lynched by the murdered girl's uncles and brothers. His ghost also haunts this area. Some nights you can hear him swinging from that tree over there, where he was hung."

Just then, one of the trees creaked in the wind and everyone jumped. Scrapple fluffed out. Nervous laughter filled the meadow. "That was a great story, Princess," Keith said, petting Scrapple.

"Thanks, Keith," Allura smiled.

The friends let the fire burn down. They went into their tents: Keith, Lance and Scrapple in one, Romelle and Sven in another, Allura and Kerri in another and Hunk and Pidge in the last one. Scrapple snuggled up against Keith before Lance could get into the large sleeping bag the two men would share. Lance raised an eyebrow. "Scrapple, can you move over some?" Lance asked. Scrapple scooted over one inch exactly.

Keith laughed. "OK, Scrapple, let Lance into the bag and I'll stay in between you two, I promise."

Scrapple rolled his golden eyes and shifted so that Lance could slide into the bag and wrap his arms around Keith. Lance whispered "Welcome back, Scrap," and both men fell asleep.

 **THE END**


End file.
